Title: Breakfast of Champions

Pete: Your images seem to be from classic and vintage advertisements. Where do you find your materials and inspiration?

Ray: My images are taken directly from magazines dating anywhere from 1940 to 1980. I have been collecting vintage magazines for a few years now. Ebay, flea markets, and tag sales have become my best friends. I browse through magazines, cutting out any images that pop out at me. I play around with certain cut-outs until I find the right combination that work visually as well as conceptually. When arranging my final composition of images, I employ many of the visual tricks used in the original advertisements.

Pete: Your work is so consistent, is there some treatment to make all the ads look like they are all from the same era?

Ray: The majority of the ads I use are in fact from the same era. I like to use magazines with similar paper quality, and then I tint all of the images with thin transparent layers of paint, giving the images similar tonal qualities.

Pete: What are some of the tools and techniques you use to make your images?

Ray: Generally my technique is simple. My work is just layers of paper and paint. After I cut images out from magazines using an exacto; they are applied by brush using a clear matte medium. I apply vibrant splashes of paint to highlight focal image and wash out those that I want in the background. I’ll use ballpoint pen to add contrast to some black and white images. Sometimes an image will be cropped in the wrong place, so I’ll have to paint in missing pieces of the collage.

Title: Arm Chair Hero

Pete: The piece "Armchair Hero" really makes me think about how TV has this effect on people, like extreme sports and reality shows. It gives people a false confidence. Enough confidence for them to actually not get off the couch and do what they see other people doing. They are fooled by mass media. No time to digest, just feed and move along. Would you agree?

Ray: Absolutely. The "Armchair hero" could very well be watching "Man vs. Wild", psyching himself up into thinking that he could totally kick that bear's ass. He is the new new American man; instead of being the outdoorsman, he just watches one on TV, most likely bragging to his family that he would know what to do if he were in that situation. This type of television creates a false sense of confidence in the viewer. If faced with a bear in the wild, I guarantee that 99% of the couch potatoes watching this show would have no idea how to handle themselves.

Title: Slice of Pie

Pete: Please name three things that anyone can do instead of watch television.

Ray: The expected answer to this question would probably be: read a book; go for a hike; or plant a garden. Three things I would rather do instead of watch television are: grab a beer with some buds; build a hot rod; or ride a motorcycle.

Pete: What are your three favorite TV shows?

Ray: When I find time to watch television, I usually just turn on Discovery Channel, National Geographic, or the History Channel. My 3 favorite shows are: How It's Made; Deadliest Catch, and Man vs. Wild.

Title: Engine Climb

Pete: Are there any artists that are inspiring you at the moment?

Ray: I am religiously checking out art shows and openings in NYC galleries. I take something from every show I see, good and bad. Recently, I have been particularly keen on Neo Rauch, Alexis Rockman and Walton Ford.

Title: Big Package

Pete: One of your latest shows, "Ya Gotta Be Tough", included pieces of your unique, sure sign work formed and smoothly blended onto deer head. Please talk about that show and your process on the sculptures.

Ray: The deer heads represent another American icon of masculinity. What is manlier than hanging a taxidermy deer head above the mantel? To create the deer heads, I use taxidermy deer forms, fake antlers, clay, and glass eyes. I assemble them in my studio, and then used the same process I use on all my 2D work. The only adjustment is that I have to manipulate the paper (usually by tearing it), so that it will conform to the shape of the deer.

Pete: What is your most rewarding accomplishment that has come from creating your art?

Ray: I just really enjoy showing my work and having it be well received. For someone to like a piece enough to want to own it is a great compliment.

Pete: Please tell us about the Bird Beak art parties you'd throw with your friends. Any great stories that go with a particular time?

Ray: Every party / show has been a blast. Bird beak was formed by me and a couple of guys I went to SVA (School of Visual Arts, New York) with. Originally it was used as a means of self-promotion and a reason to throw crazy parties (mostly just a reason to party). Over the years it has become a vehicle for new artists to get exposure.

I’m not sure this is a great story, but… During the first Bird Beak Party at Headquarters Studio in downtown Manhattan, after a night of free drinks my buddy Jay thought it would be funny to throw my girlfriend’s brother through a wall. I didn’t exactly find it funny, because I was the one who had to come back to fix the wall the next day.

Title: Growin' Up

Pete: Do you think there is still subliminal advertising going on to this day?

Ray: You bet. I’m kind of inspired by the idea of subliminal messages. My work contains many layers of text and images that aren’t immediate apparent; stuff the conscience mind might not pick up on.

Title: Celebrity Spokesman

Pete: What do you think will be pushing the boundaries in art ten years from now? (For your art, or for art in general.)

Ray: It is impossible for me to say where my art, or art in general, will be in ten years. Art is an organic process. If someone were to ask me that question even five years ago I would never had guessed I’d be making the work that I’m doing now. I have however seen a resurgence of figurative work in recent years.

Pete: Are there any upcoming events that you'd like to talk about?

Ray: I’ll be down in Miami this year during Art Basel showing at Fountain Miami. I have shows lined up in Asbury Park New Jersey, Portland Oregon and a couple shows in New York City. There is also another Bird Beak party in the works. We’ve been talking about doing a huge installation. I can’t disclose any details mostly because it hasn’t been completely worked out. I think 2010 is going to be a busy and awesome year.

Title: Breakin' the Habit

Check out Ray Sell's website and get more info on his upcoming shows.
www.raysell.com

Article and interview by Pete Morse

Artwork at top of interiew:
Title: Baby Bullet